I am going to change the format on this section as all the information
written in the cichlids
page is applicable to these fish as well. I will give some specific
information on the care of the fish from each individual lake. To
view some quick statistics on many individual fish just click on their
picture.

African Cichlids

I have added the word "Rift" in the title of this page to emphasize
the specific region where these cichlids live; namely the Rift lakes
of Malawi and Tanganyika and Victoria. When you hear the term "African
cichlids," most people think of fish from these great lakes, but Africa
is home to a wide variety of Cichlids that inhabit other areas other
than the lakes.

Click for full size map.

Non Rift Lake Cichlids

Jewelfish

Kribs

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General Requirements:

Due to their aggressive behavior, the tank for African cichlids should
be as large as possible, with its length being more critical than its
height; meaning the longer the better.

The substrate should be of a material that will aid in the pH buffering
capabilities of the water. Good substrate choices could be Dolomite
or crushed coral.

Decorations for the aquaria should include rock structures with caves
and platforms, but leave an open area for swimming. Try to avoid driftwood
as it tends to lower pH over time.

The use of live plants is a hit or miss situation (usually miss)
due to the African's vegetarian nature. Lighting is not critical and
can be of any spectrum or color you like.

The water chemistry for the African lakes differs greatly from all
other biotopes and more closely resembles marine than tropical fresh
water. Due to their high pH and hardness levels it is necessary to
treat the water with some sort of African cichlid lake salts. Two
products I use and find excellent are Kent AF Cichlid Buffer and Kent
AF Cichlid Chemistry.

In nature, feeding is by scraping the algae covered (Aufwuchs) rock
surfaces, and in the aquarium it is not a problem as all flake food
is accepted, but it should be supplemented with a plant based formula
containing something like spirulina.

Almost all of the species from Lake Malawi are known as mouth-brooders.
They incubate the eggs and protect their fry in special sacs in the
mouth. They are excellent and protective parents and have been known
to raise young in crowded community setups.

Tanganyikan cichlids are more varied in their spawning techniques
and consist of open spawning mouthbrooders and even some that use
empty snail shells. They too are great parents.

This is a general overview of these fish. There is much more in-depth
information available on them. Suffice to say that if you are willing
to meet their needs, the African cichlids will provide you with many
years of enjoyment.

The Rift Lake cichlids have very different and specialized needs,
which will be outlined here on a lake to lake basis.

Lake Malawi, also known as Nyasa, is the third largest in Africa
(after Lake Victoria and lake Tanganyika), and is located at the south-west
of Tanzania. The lake is bordered by three countries, Tanzania , Malawi
and Mozambique. It is 360 miles long, 25 miles in width, and covers
an area of more than 11,430 square miles . In some parts, the lake
is as deep as 700 meters and has a distinctive characteristic: 14
rivers pouring their waters into the lake, and only one river which
flows out to the sea, River Shire. The lake lies in the sided walls
of mountain ranges: the forested Livingston Mountains and Nyika Plateau.

Lake Malawi from space

The water chemistry in Lake Malawi is very similar to that of Lake
Victoria. pH ranges from 7.8 to 8.6, with a total hardness of 4.0-6.0
dH. Carbonate hardness ranges from 6.0 to 8.0. The variation is caused
by the level of dissolved carbon dioxide in the water. In areas with
turbulent water, where the water is better aerated, the pH is higher,
while in calm bays the level of dissolved carbon dioxide is higher
and consequently, the pH is lower there. Surface temperature ranges
from 76 to 85°F, while the temperature at lower levels of the
lake remain at a constant 70 degrees.

Lake Malawi has traditionally provided a major food source to the
residents of Malawi as it is rich in fish, the most famous of which
are the Chambo, consisting of 4 species of the cichlid genus Nyasalapia,
as well as the large catfish Bagrus meridionalis.

Malawi cichlids are divided into two basic groups loosely referred
to as the Haplochromines and the Tilapiines. Within the Haplochromines
are two sub-groups. The first sub-group consist of the open water
Utaka such as Sciaenochromis fryeri

Protomelas species such as the well known P. steveni 'Taiwan,
P. taeniolatus Namalenje and others from the genera; Copadichromis,
Mylochromis, Cyrtocara and Buccochromis. Unlike the vegetarian Mbuna,
Haplochromis species are piscivores which means they prey on small
fish, particularly other small cichlids. Most Haplochromines are only
moderately aggressive. Also classified in this first sub-group are
the sand dwelling species that include Lethrinops, http://secure.cartsvr.net/product_images/catalog30840/Lethrinoprainbowmbambabay.jpg,
Taeniolethrinops, and Tramitichromis that do not spend their entire
lives in the vicinity of rocks, as do the mbuna. These are often slightly
larger-growing species than the mbuna, and most exhibit a dull silver
color with irregular black bars, until the male is near adult size,
at which time the vibrant blues and other colours are displayed. They
can form large shoals over sandy areas, or even in open water, where
they feed on the abundant Malawi lake flies (Chaoboris edulis) that
swarm at certain times of year. Although many utaka species will still
frequent rocky areas of the lake, they are not dependant on the rocky
environment for their territories or for feeding and reproduction.

The second sub-group consists of the most commonly found cichlids
in Lake Malawi, the popular Mbuna - or rock dwelling fish, a large
group of vegetarian cichlids that live among large piles of rocks
along the shoreline where they graze the algae which grows profusely
in that habitat. The Mbuna such as the Electric Yellow Labidochromis
caeruleus are highly colorful and generally small.

Though most commonly seen in large groups, Mbuna are not schooling
fish. In some areas of Lake Malawi, 20 fish per square meter is not
uncommon. These are aggressive cichlids which have a distinct social
structure. The aggression is most often directed toward fish which
appear similar in body shape or coloring which are seen as a threat
for food and mating. Both sexes of the more than 100 species of Mbuna
are unusually colorful with bright patterns of horizontal stripes
or vertical bars. These consist primarily of the genera Pseudotropheus,
Labidochromis, Melanochromis, Labeotropheus and Metriaclima. Probably
the most recognized species of mbuna are the members of the genera
Pseudotropheus with P. zebra being the most popular of all. P. zebra
has many color variations ranging from blue to red to spotted, there
is even an albino variation

.

The second group, the Tilapiines, consists of the only substrate
spawning species in the lake , as well as the 4 species of Chambo (Nyasalapia).

Female Melanochromis auratus

Male Melanochromis auratus

Both Mbuna and Haplochromis are polygamous mouthbrooders, which means
that dominant males maintain harems of females. They exhibit no parental
care; after spawning, the male moves on to find another female. Females
will incubate fertilized eggs in their mouths until the fry are completely
developed, at which time they spit the fry into the rocks where they
fend for themselves.

Another important aquarium cichlids from the lake include the "Utaka-Cichlids"
which live in the open water regions and feed on the zooplankton floating
in the water. They are some of the most vivid blues seen and can rival
any marine fish. They grow larger than the mbuna and therefore require
a larger tank

Lake Tanganyika Water Statistics

Area

12,700 Sq. Miles

Maximum Depth

Over 4,700 Feet

Clarity

Up To 70 Feet

pH

8.6 - 9.5

Total Hardness

11 - 17 ºH

Carbonate Hardness

16 - 19 ºH

Surface Temperature

76 to 85º F

Deep Water Temp.

About 70º F

Conductivity At 68ºF

570-640 micro-Siemens/cm

Lake Tanganyika

Ruizizi river flowing into Lake Tanganyika.
Photo from the Lake Tanganyika fisheries research site.

Lake Tanganyika is the oldest lake in Africa and possibly the world,
having been formed during the Miocene era about 20 million years ago.
Nowhere else in the world do we find as large and as deep a lake whose
lifespan encompasses so many millions of years of uninterrupted and
gradual evolution. The lake is a closed system and thus, virtually
all of the lake's cichlids are endemic; More than 95 percent of its
cichlids are not found anywhere else in the world. Moreover, while
other African Great lake such as Malawi and Victoria may have more
cichlids, Tanganyika's cichlid fauna is more specialized and diverse.

Lake Tanganyika from space

Due to its size, Lake Tanganyika has remarkable stability with regard
to temperature and chemical composition. There is just under 5°
F difference between the surface and the bottom, the result of volcanic
activity close to the lake's bottom. With no significant temperature
difference, there is no driving force for the vertical currents that
occur in most lakes, which provide oxygen to the deepest portions
of lake systems and thus, all fish life in Lake Tanganyika is confined
to the uppers layers. Here, specific biotopes provide very different
ecological niches which have resulted in the specialization and segregation
of the various lake species.

Surge Habitat: The upper three feet of water at the shore
where crashing waves produce high oxygen levels and very low carbon
dioxide is considered the surge. Goby cichlids such as Eretmodus
cyanostictus have adapted to this environment and in fact, it
is the only place where they are found.

Rocky Shores: The rocky habitat can be broken down into
upper slope areas comprised of sediment free rock of greatly varying
size, with lush biocover providing an algal carpet of nutrient
for herbivorous species such as Tropheus moorii. The rocky habitat covered in sediment is found further
down the slope and while some algae may be found here, this is
primarily a sedimental habitat inhabited by smaller cichlids which
find shelter between the rocks. Here are found such specialized
cichlids as Altolamprologus compressiceps; with a high backed
and lateral compression this cichlid is perfectly adapted to squeeze
between the rock crevices where it feeds on small shrimp.

Altolamprologus
compressiceps

The Shallow Rocky Shore: Areas found from the surface
to a depth of twenty feet or so, this habitat covers a sandy floor
with rocks and pebbles. Food is most abundant here and thus this
habitat contains the most successful and abundant cichlid species.
Generally, the inhabitants of this biotope, such as Petrochromis
fasciolatus and Altolamprologus
compressiceps exhibit a barred pattern which blends well with
the shallow water background and is thought to confuse fish eating
birds.

Benthic Waters: Deep portions of the oxygenated lake waters
contain cichlids such as Benthochromis tricoti found exclusively
at depths between 165 and 500 feet and feeds on small prey such
as the plankton, copepods and small shrimp found here.

Sandy bottom: Erosion has been at work here for millions
of years, resulting in a layer of sediment on the lake bottom
which is a mile thick in places. Sandy bottoms ranging from the
foot of rock strewn slopes to gently rolling plains exist throughout
the lake. Here, the 'shell dwellers' such as Neolamprologus multifasciatus
utilize the acumulated snail shells, while sand dwellers such
as Callochromis and Xenotilapia species live in colonies numbering
in the hundreds.

Mud Floor: The bottom has neither a sandy nor rocky substrate
and includes organic wastes, decaying organisms and bacteria which
provide food for zooplankton found here. Crustaceans, insect larvae,
worms and other invertebrates provide food for cichlids such as
Trematocara nigrifrons and Triglachromis otostigma which has adapted
to life on the bottom.

The most popular cichlids from Lake Tanganyika include the Neolamprologus,
Lamprologus, Julidochromis and Tropheus species. Since in the wild,
these cichlids never wander far from their rocky niche, they can be
made comfortable within the confines of an aquarium containing an assemblage
of rocks which comprise their native habitat. Tropheus are a rock-bound
group of cichlids which differ from both Lamprologus and Julidochromis
in that they are mouth brooders and strict herbivores. One of the most
colorful of the Neolamprologus is the leleupi complex.
The Julidochromis are a particularly desirable group in that they are
easy to maintain, easy to breed and very interesting from a behavioural
standpoint. These cichlids are very streamlined and unlike most of the
Rift Lake species, form distinct 'pair bonds'.

Tanganyikan cichlids are not as commonly available as their Malawi
cousins, their following is usually limited to the cichlid specialist.

Sciaenochromis ahli

Troppheus moorii

Brichardi

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria, discovered in 1858 by the British explorer John Speke,
is the largest of all African Lakes and the world's second largest freshwater
lake, covering an area of 26,560 sq miles. Its extensive area belongs
to three countries; the northern half to Uganda, the southern half to
Tanzania, and part of the northeastern sector to Kenya. The lake occupies
a wide depression near the equator, between the East and West Great
Rift Valleys, but its drainage basin is relatively small, being slightly
less than three times the lake's surface in area. The lake water is
drained into the Victoria Nile which flows northward via Lake Albert
and the White Nile forming the uppermost reaches of the Nile River.
Many people believe that Lake Victoria is counted among the 'Rift Lakes'
but in fact it is not, though the lake lies within the Victoria basin.
As recently as 12,500 years ago Lake Victoria was a grassy plain, making
it the youngest of the three east african lakes.

Lake Victoria from space

The water in Lake Victoria is much less clear than that in Lakes
Tanganyika and Malawi though the chemistry is quite similar to the
latter. Transparency has been measured between less than 4 and 10
feet in inshore areas. The pH is alkaline, ranging from 7.2 to 8.6,
and carbonate hardness is between 2 and 8 dH. The temperature can
be as low as 70 degrees at the surface during the dry season and reaches
81 degrees during the wet season. Some biotopes of the lake resemble
those of Lake Malawi, with lots of large rocks Lake Victoria harbors
a unique species-rich flock of more than 500 endemic Haplochromine
cichlids including the Astatotilapia, Lipochromis, Lithochromis, Paralabidochromis
and Pundamilia Unfortunately, the ecosystem of Lake Victoria and its
surroundings have been badly affected by human influence. Lake Victoria
is on the verge of becoming a dead lake. There are several reasons
for the rapid depletion of the cichlids in Lake Victoria. The first
is the introduction of two non-endemic species of fish. In the 1950's
British colonists introduced the Nile Perch (Lates niloticus) and
the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). These fishes were introduced
to provide a food source for the countries around the lake because
they grow much larger than the cichlids. It is this size combined
with the predatory behavior of the Nile Perch that scientists believe
has been the cause for the extinction of so many cichlid species in
the lake. The Nile Tilapia on the other hand is a plankton-eating
fish which has an indirect effect inasmuch as it competes for food
with some of the cichlid species. Additionally, the vast amounts of
pollution that is flowing into the Lake from the surrounding countries
due in no small part to a substantial population boom in recent years,
vastly increased the amount of pollution being pumped into the lake.
At the present time, oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake are not
sufficient to support life. Further, the visibility is so poor that
the brightly colored cichlids from the lake are having trouble correctly
identifying mates and therefore not mating as often. The significant
increase in algae levels in the lake as a result of the pollution
which provides the necessary nutrients for algae growth has further
exacerbated the problem. The algae levels are five to ten times the
levels of the 1960's. As pollution levels go up, algae growth increases.
In turn the algae that dies off creates more pollution in an apparent
never-ending cycle of lake destruction. Much of the damage is vast
and irreversible. Half of the cichlids species originally found in
Lake Victoria are already thought to be extinct and the rest are endangered
species unless they still thrive in one of the satellite lakes. In
response to the problem, zoos and aquariums in the US and Europe created
the "Lake Victoria Species Survival Program" to maintain these endangered
species. Few in any beautiful Victorian Haplochromines in the hobby
today are wild caught and they are, in general, becoming increasingly
difficult to obtain. Some of the more commonly tank raised cichlids
from Lake Victoria include: